Chipotle Chicken with Chunky Pistachio Sauce

    Chipotle chicken in a bowl with rice and chunky pistachio sauce.

    Why Is Chunky Sauce So Fun?

    Lindsay Ostrom headshot.

    I make a lot of blended, smooth green sauces – but this lady is a whole new vibe. Spoonable, chunky, and fun. She is the exact thing I didn’t realize my smoky grilled chicken was needing.

    The combination of avocado, pistachio, chives, and lemon is like a mashup of guacamole, gremolata, and springtime brightness and it is SO good.

    I know some of you are going to look at the sauce ingredients and think you want a lime in there, but give the lemon a chance. The lemon with the chives and the roasty pistachios… it’s so fresh and unique. I want this for you.

    What I like this with:

    • my go-to easy rice method which is absolutely hands off
    • the simple green salad my kids love
    • multiple types of roasted veggies – but this broccoli especially

    If you’re worried about things getting spicy, use smoked paprika instead of chipotle! It’ll give you the smokiness without the spicy. Delish.

    I hope you love this!

    And if you’re doing some meal planning, don’t miss this list of all my favorite easy dinners!

    Lindsay signature.
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    Chipotle Chicken with Chunky Pistachio Sauce

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    • Author: Lindsay
    • Total Time: 30 minutes
    • Yield: 4 servings
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    Description

    Smoky chipotle chicken grilled to perfection, with a chunky fun sauce featuring pistachios, avocado, lemon, and chives! This is so good!

    Ingredients

    Units

    Chipotle Chicken:

    • 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs
    • 2 1/2 – 3 tablespoons taco seasoning (I use Siete Mild Taco Seasoning, a little more than half the packet)
    • 1/8 teaspoon chipotle powder (spicy! sub 1/4 tsp smoked paprika if you don’t want it spicy)
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil

    Sauce:

    • 1 large avocado, diced (more firm)
    • 1/2 cup pistachios
    • 1/2 cup packed cilantro
    • a small bundle of chives (.5 oz, a full package)
    • juice and zest of one lemon
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)

    Instructions

    1. Prep the Chicken: Trim the fat from the chicken thighs, if you want. Then toss the chicken with the spices and olive oil. You want them to be nicely coated with the spices.Adding taco seasoning to chicken.
    2. Cook Chicken: Heat the olive oil in a skillet or grill pan (affiliate link) over medium high heat. Grill or saute the chicken, flipping once, until nice and browned on both sides with an internal temperature of 165 degrees. (See notes for alternate cooking methods.) Grilling chicken in a grill pan.
    3. Make the Sauce: While the chicken is cooking, use a mini-chopper (affiliate link) or food processor to pulse the pistachios, cilantro, and chives until finely chopped. Chopping up sauce in a mini chopper.
    4. Finish Sauce: Add to a bowl with the avocado chunks, lemon juice and zest, olive oil, and salt. Stir it up – it’ll be thick, chunky, and a little bit irresistible. Chunky pistachio sauce in a bowl.
    5. Serve: Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces (makes it easier to build a bowl and eat)! Season with salt. Top with spoonfuls of the chunky pistachio sauce. I love this with rice and a salad. The flavors!! So good. Spooning sauce over chicken and rice in a bowl.

    Notes

    Boneless skinless chicken breasts will also work in this recipe! 

    If you don’t have chipotle powder, mince or smash a single chipotle pepper from a can and throw it in with the chicken and taco seasoning instead! Or, 2-3 teaspoons of the adobo sauce from the can is also great!

    This is the grill pan I use! (affiliate link) You can also grill the chicken, or air fry it for 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees.

    The salt level for the chicken will be dependent on your taco seasoning, since they all have a different level of saltiness. I would suggest waiting until after cooking the chicken to season with salt! However, if your taco seasoning doesn’t have any salt, you could add 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon in step 1 along with the dry spices.

    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 15 minutes
    • Category: Dinner
    • Method: Stovetop
    • Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired

    Keywords: chipotle chicken, chicken bowls, avocado, pistachio, burrito bowl

    Did you love this recipe?

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    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can you use chicken breasts instead of thighs?

    Yes! Works just fine.

    Can you use fish instead of chicken?

    Yes, I think this would be great with salmon or even shrimp! For shrimp, probably use less spices overall (less surface area) – just enough to coat.

    Can you use a different nut besides pistachios?

    I feel like toasted pine nuts would be good. Even finely crushed almonds could be a good sub!

    How should I cook the chicken if I don’t have a grill pan?

    You can grill the chicken on an actual grill, sear/sauté it in a hot pan, or air fry it for 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees. If you do want to get a grill pan, this is the one I use! (affiliate link)

    What veggies could I add to this?

    You can basically take any veggie and just throw it into the grill pan for a minute after the chicken! Or make air fryer broccoli, or simple green salad, or a bagged salad.

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